Shoe cream applicators with laminated plastic sponge pads



Dec.

1960 F. E. HENRIKSSON 2,962,743

SHOE CREAM APPLICATORS WITH LAMINATED PLASTIC SPONGE PADS Filed Dec. 1,1958 [72 van for Bed 5' Henrz'ksson By hzlsAziorney United States PatentOfilice 2,962,743 Patented Dec. 6, 1960 SHOE CREAM APPLICATQRS WITHLAMINATED PLASTEC SPONGE PADS Fred E. Henriksson, Backstigen, Bjuv,Sweden, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N.J.,a corporation of New Jersey Filed Dec. 1, 1958, Ser. No. 777,430

Claims priority, application Sweden Dec. 10, 1957 5 Claims. (Cl. 15135)The present invention relates to a spreading cap for a container forpasty material and more particularly to a spreading cap for a tube usedfor pasty shoe dressing.

Tube caps incorporating a spreading device are already known and maycomprise a bottom member, screwed into the tube, on which a spreadingdevice, usually a porous pad, is secured. A cover which fits the bottommember encloses the spreading device when the tube is not in use. Thiscover usually carries a central rod which when the cover is in placeextends through a central hole in the spreading device into the neck ofthe tube to seal the tube and to reduce drying of the paste in the tubeduring storage.

There are disadvantages, however, in the use of such a cap and porouspad spreading device in connection with tubes containing a pasty shoedressing. When a tube with the spreading device is used, a small amountof the shoe dressing is squeezed out of the tube and forced as a t inribbon through the central hole of the porous pad. During thissqueezing, and particularly during the spreading of the shoe dressing,part of the shoe dressing is absorbed in the pores of the pad whichnormally is formed of a resilient porous cellular resin or rubbermaterial. During the spreading. the cell walls of the spreader pad arepressed together and because of the adhesive power of the shoe dressingsome of the cell walls cling together so that when the pressure isreleased the spreader pad does not resume its original form and size.

When not in use, the solvent of the shoe paste absorbed in the cellularmaterial evaporates wholly or partly, since there is not a tight closureby the cover. The cell walls already adhering to each other are stillmore firmly retained in the compressed condition. The shoe dressingabsorbed by the spreader pad also dries, making it hard and no longerabsorbent for the shoe dressing and thus less suited for its purpose.

It is the obiect of the present invention to provide a spreading deviceof the class described in which the difficulties encountered due tohardening of the pasty material are minimized.

The spreader cap of the present invention includes a base adapted to besecured to a dispensing contaner and a novel multilayer resilient pad ofcellular rubbery material secured in turn to the base of the cap. Thismultilayer pad has a bottom layer of closed-cell, cellular rubberymaterial adhered to the base of the cap, the closed cells preventing theentry and hardening of the pasty material, and an outermost layeradhered to the bottom layer, and consisting of an interconnecting-cellcellular rubbery material which allows the pasty material to be taken upand then transferred to the surface to be polis ed.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawing, in which The figure is a side view with parts broken away of ashoe cream tube and an applicator cap according to the presentinvention.

The spreader cap has a base member 12 which may be formed of a rigidplastic material such as polystyrene, polyethylene or other plasticmaterials which are not affected by solvent or other components of shoepaste.

The base member 12 is provided with suitable means for securing it to adispensing container. As shown in the drawing, this may be an internallythreaded cylindrical section 14 for cooperation with the external thread16 of the nozzle 18 of a collapsible paste tube 20 or other dispensingcontainer. A cylindrical flange 22 on the base member 12 concentric withthe threaded portion 14 is proportioned and disposed to constitute ashoulder portion for cooperation with the end portion 24 of the pastetube 20 to provide lateral support for the base.

The base member 12 is provided with a flat face 26 to which themultilayer cellular pad 28 is secured. Suitably a cylindrical guideflange 30 for the cover 32 is also provided, extending up from the fiatface 26 of the base 12. An opening 34 extends through the base member 12and is positioned over the open end of the nozzle 18 of the tube 20 inalinement with a passageway 36 through the cellular pad to provide acommon passageway for the extrusion of the shoe paste. The cover 32 isprovided with a central rod 38 to keep the passageway 36 clear and alsoto seal the nozzle 18 when the tube is covered.

The multilayer cellular pad 28 is bonded to the face 26 and the flange30 of the cap 10. The pad includes layers 40 and 42 which are joined toeach other by suitable adhesives so that the paste cannot penetratebetween the layers. The bottom layer 40 of the spreading device isformed of a closed-cell resilient rubbery material which cannot absorbthe paste of the tube. The top layer 42 is formed of a resilientinterconnected-cell cellular rubbery material which absorbs the paste.

Suitable cellular rubbery materials include polymers and copolymers ofvinyl chloride, polyurethane, and solvent-resistant rubber. The specificcellular material used depends upon the contents of the: tube. Forinstance, a spreading device for use with a pasty shoe dressingincluding a volatile organic solvent should be resistant to volatileorganic solvents, particularly turpentine, since this is often acomponent in the shoe dressing.

A preferred material for the porous top layer 42 is a cellular flexiblepolyurethane foam made from the combination of a polyester and adiisocyanate. The foam is formed by the gas producing reactions of theisocyanate group with the hydroxyl and/or carboxyl acid content of theester and water. The foam is made by stirring the diisocyanate, usuallymeta-tolylene diisocyanate and water, into the viscous polyester,preferably having an acid value of at least 30, until an exothermicreaction which forms the urethane linkages takes place, and liberatesthe carbon dioxide gas which expands the mixture creating the cellularconstruction. A foam of sufiicient softness for the purpose of aspreading device for a shoe cream is obtained by using a polyester of arelatively high acid number.

Polyvinyl chloride may be used for either or both parts of the laminate,and is a preferred material for the lower layer 40. Its use in thelaminate depends on its cellular structure, a closed cell structure forthe lower layer 40, or an open-cell structure for the upper layer 42.

Foarned polyvinyl chloride may be made by various known procedures suchas forming a plastisol, i.e., a fluid mixture of finely dividedpolyvinyl chloride and a plasticizer, incorporating a blowing agent,i.e., an agent which liberates gas when heated, and heating thecomposition to solidify the plastisol and liberate blowing gas to form aresilient rubbery closed-cell cellular product.

In use the bottom layer 40 remains firm and resilient since it absorbsno shoe paste but serves as a cushioning agent for the upper layer 42.The bottom layer 40 is thicker than the upper layer 42, preferably fromabout one and a half to four times as thick as the upper layer. Theupper layer 42 is so thin, e.g., one-eighth inch, that it absorbs onlyenough of the shoe dressing to supply paste to its exposed surface 44 asthe surface is wiped over a shoe or other article to be coated with thepasty material. Because of the thinness of the layer 42, heavy depositsof solidified paste are not built up in the cells. On the other hand, ifthe entire pad were made of a nonabsorptive foam with the non-connectingcells, the upper portions of the pad would not retain the paste andwould merely smear the paste unevenly over a surface.

In use, the pasty material of the container 24) is squeezed through thenozzle 18 of the container and the opening 34 of the cap base 12 andthrough the passageway 36 of the multilayer pad 28 to the surface 44 ofthe spreading pad 42. It is there absorbed by the porous top layer 42 ofthe pad 28 and transferred to the desired surface area by rubbing thepad over the surface. Paste fibSOibBd in the cells is squeezed out bythe pressure used in spreading. The lower layer 49 of the pad 28, whichcan retain none of the pasty material due to its closed-cell cellularconstruction, is resilient, acting as a base-cushion for the absorbentspreading pad 42 during the spreading of the paste.

The top layer 42 is sufficiently thin to hold only the small amount ofthe pasty material necessary to insure uniform spreading. Although thecap is covered while not in use, the closure is not sufliciently tightto prevent evaporation of the solvent in the paste, and the top layer 42of the pad 28 dries out at least partially and hardens. However, sincethis top layer is thin, the solids of the surface are easily redissolvedin the solvent of the next paste extrusion, and the pad is resoftenedfor continued usage.

The cap 10 containing the multilayer pad 28 may be removed from anexhausted container and be re-used on a full container of preferably thesame material. Also, since there is a slight amount of material driedout in only the thin top layer, it may be easily removed by quicklycleaning in a suitable solvent whenever it is desired to clean the padbetween applications of the paste. Throughout continuous use, the bottomlayer of the pad retains its shape, and remains resilient, thusincreasing the use-span and efficiency of the cap.

It is to be understood that this special example of use, i.e., for shoecream, is not to be recognized as limiting the invention to a specialapplication.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A spreader cap for cooperation with a container for dispensing pastymaterial including a volatile solvent, said cap comprising a rigid baseadapted to be secured to a dispensing container and being formed with anopening therethrough for cooperation with and passage of pasty materialfrom a discharge opening in said container, and a multilayer, resilient,cellular pad of rubbery material secured to said base and formed with apassage extending completely through said pad and communicating with theopening in said base, the layers of said pad being adhered together,said cellular pad comprising a first layer of closed-cell cellularrubbery material adhered to said base, the closed cells preventing entryand hardening of said mixture in the cells thereof, and an outermostlayer of interconnecting-cell cellular rubbery material, theinterconnecting cells enabling said outermost layer to take up saidpasty material and to spread it on a desired surface, said outermostlayer being approximately one-eighth inch thick and said firstclosed-cell cellular layer being approximately one and. one-half to fourtimes greater in thickness than said outermost layer.

2. A spreader cap for cooperation with a container for dispensing amixture of pasty consistency including a volatile solvent, said capcomprising a rigid base adapted to be secured to a dispensing containerand being formed with an opening therethrough for cooperation with andpassage of pasty material from a discharge opening in said container,and a multilayer, resilient, cellular pad of rubbery material secured tosaid base and being formed with a passage extending completely throughsaid pad and communicating with the opening in said base, the layers ofsaid pad being adhered together, said cellular pad comprising a firstlayer of closed-cell cellular rubbery material adhered to said base, theclosed cells preventing entry and hardening of said mixture in the cellsthereof, and an outermost layer of interconnecting-cell cellular rubberymaterial, the interconnecting cells enabling said outermost layer totake up said mixture and to spread it on a desired surface, saidoutermost interconnecting-cell cellular layer being approximatelyone-eighth inch thick and said first closed-cell cellular layer beingapproximately one and one-half to four times greater in thickness thansaid outermost layer.

3. A spreader cap for cooperation with a collapsible dispensing tubeequipped with a nozzle for dispensing a mixture of pasty consistencyincluding a volatile solvent, said cap comprising a rigid base formedwith an opening therethrough, means for securing said cap to said nozzleof said dispensing tube with said opening in communication with theorifice in said nozzle, said base comprising shoulder portionsconstructed and arranged to bear against end portions of said tube toprovide lateral support for said base when said cap and said tube aresecured together and said base also having a surface extending out fromaround said opening on the side opposite said shoulder portions, and amultilayer, resilient, cellular pad of rubbery material adhesivelysecured to said surface, said pad being formed with a passage extendingcompletely through said pad and communicating with the opening in saidbase, the layers of said pad being adhered to, gether, said cellular padcomprising a first layer of closedcell cellular rubbery materialadjacent said base, the closed cells preventing entry and hardening ofsaid mixture in the cells thereof, and an outermost layer ofinterconnecting-cell cellular resin adhered to said first layer, theinterconnecting cells enabling said outermost layer to take up saidmixture and to spread it on a desired surface, said outermostinterconnecting-cell cellular layer being approximately one-eighth inchthick and said first closed-cell cellular layer being approximately oneand one-half to four times greater in thickness than said outermostlayer.

4. A spreader cap for cooperation with a collapsible dispensing tubeequipped with an externally threaded nozzle for dispensing a mixture ofpasty consistency including a volatile solvent, said cap comprising arigid base formed with an opening therethrough having an internallythreaded portion for assembly with the external threads on said nozzle,said opening being positioned in said base for communication with theorifice in said nozzle when said cap and said tube are assembled, saidbase comprising shoulder portions constructed and arranged to bearagainst end portions of said tube to provide lateral support for saidbase when said cap and said tube are assembled and said base also havinga surface extending out from around said opening on the side oppositesaid shoulder portions, a flange projecting from said surface definingan area surrounding said opening, and a multilayer, resilient, cellularpad of rubbery mate-v rial adhesively secured to said surface in thespace outlined by said flange, said flange being in contact with andsupporting portions of said pad adjacent said surface, said pad beingformed with a passage extending completely through said pad andcommunicating with the opening in said base, the layers of said padbeing adhered together, said cellular pad comprising a first layer ofclosed-cell cellular rubbery material adjacent said base, the closedcells preventing entry and hardening of said mixture in the cellsthereof, and an outermost layer of interconnecting-cell cellular resin,the interconnecting cells enabling said outermost layer to take up saidmixture and to spread it on a desired surface, said outermostinterconnecting cell layer being approximately one-eighth inch thick andsaid first closed-cell cellular layer being approximately one andone-half to four times greater in thickness than said outermost layer.

5. A spreader cap for cooperation with a collapsible dispensing tubeequipped with an externally threaded nozzle for dispensing a mixture ofpasty consistency in cluding a waxy material and volatile solvent, saidcap comprising a rigid base formed with an opening therethrough havingan internally threaded portion for assembly with the external threads onsaid nozzle, said opening being positioned in said base for alignmentwith the orifice in said nozzle when said cap and said tube areassembled, said base comprising shoulder portions constructed andarranged to bear against end portions of said tube to provide lateralsupport for said base when said cap and said tube are assembled and saidbase also having a surface extending out from around said opening on theside opposite said shoulder portions, a cylindrical flange projectingnormal to said surface defining an area surrounding said opening, a lidincluding cylindrical side walls for sealing engagement with saidflange, and a multilayer, rc silient, cellular pad of rubbery materialadhesively secured to said surface in the space outlined by said flange,said flange being in contact with and supporting portions of said padadjacent said surface, said pad being formed with a passage extendingcompletely through said pad and communicating with the opening in saidbase, the layers of said pad being adhered together, said cellular padcomprising a first layer of closed-cell cellular rubbery materialadjacent said base, the closed cells preventing entry and hardening ofsaid mixture in the cells thereof, and an outermost layer ofinterconnecting-cell cellular resin, the interconnecting cells enablingsaid outermost layer to take up said mixture and to spread it on adesired surface, said outermost interconnecting cell layer beingapproximately one-eighth inch thick and said first closedcell cellularlayer being approximately one and one-half to four times greater inthickness than said outermost layer.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,007,816 Stubenrauch Nov. 7, 1911 1,550,722 Wetzell Aug. 25, 19251,589,807 Kuns June 22, 1926 1,939,612 Rose Dec. 12, 1933 2,118,051MacMichael May 24, 1938 2,474,969 Bengtson July 5, 1949

